Making PR Objectives Work: A Three Step Process

Evan Welsh, director of global media relations at SAP, sets clear PR objectives for his group at the beginning of each year. Here are three tenets he keeps in mind when planning and following up on those objectives:

1. Be Relevant. What are your organization’s primary goals? At SAP, it’s generating revenue, profit, driving margin, employee satisfaction. “Make what you do relevant to the overall business, and talk in the language of the C-suite,” says Welsh.
2. Plan. It could be a 12-month, quarterly or monthly plan, but make sure there is a constant feedback loop to keep your objectives clear.
3. Communicate Successes. Management needs to know this, and it doesn’t have to be from PR—marketing and sales can trumpet your success too. “Better yet, let customers do it,” says Welsh.

“We have limited time to do our jobs,” says Welsh. “So I want to concentrate on moving the needle for SAP in terms of media relations. I have to be a contributor—that’s my thought process.”